How to Counteract Thanksgiving's Rising Food Costs

Family drama and burnt stuffing could be the least of your worries this Thanksgiving. The American Farm Bureau Federation reported last Thursday that a traditional, turkey-anchored Thanksgiving meal will cost families around 13 percent more this year. Don't worry; we have some ideas.

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According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, a Thanksgiving meal for ten with turkey and all of the trimmings will cost $49.20 on average, which is an increase over last year of $5.73. The turkey is the biggest offender: a 16-pound turkey costs nearly $21.57 this year, up nearly $1.35 per pound over 2010. The increase in meal cost is a result of higher food commodity costs. But there are ways to have an amazing Thanksgiving feast without breaking the bank.

Have a Potluck: Make the turkey at home but outsource your side dishes and dessert. Everyone will have a chance to chip in and share their own taste of Thanksgiving; you'll save a ton of money and the feast will be even bigger than you could have imagined.

Spice Things Up with Affordable Ingredients: We all want our Thanksgiving meals to stand out as an unforgettable experience, but not all of us have the money for truffle shavings and chanterelles. That doesn't mean you can't take your dishes to the next level. For dishes like mashed potatoes, change things up with affordable flare like a sprinkling of fried shallots, a touch of ginger, or a salty addition of melted Parmesan cheese.

Downsize Your Meal: If your guest list is no larger than four, then consider buying just a turkey breast. Bonus: the preparation is much easier. If you do want a centerpiece bird, think about substituting in a very large roasting chicken.

Plan for Leftovers: If you are going with the full turkey experience, make preparations for the leftovers. While the Thanksgiving meal itself may be more expensive, if you stretch the leftovers out over multiple meals days later then the cost can balance out. Think beyond the traditional turkey sandwiches to things like turkey soup (you can get a great stock from those leftover bones), turkey salad, and turkey pasta.

Cook from Scratch: It's tempting to buy a prefab pie and cranberry sauce, but often the ingredients to make them from scratch are much cheaper. Cranberry sauce is incredibly easy to make and, though you don't get that satisfying slurping sound you get when you slide the cranberry jelly out of the can, it is far tastier when made fresh. Pies can be trickier, but if you choose a very simple recipe, it can be, well, easy as pie.

Here are some affordable recipes to inspire you to have a budget-friendly but wow-worthy Thanksgiving.

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